Reflective garment and method of manufacturing same

ABSTRACT

A reflective heat transfer combination and the method of making same whereby a tacky mixture of tack wax and mineral spirits defines a carrier layer applied over a paper substrate capable of absorbing the carrier layer when melted in response to heat and disposing a layer of glass beads over the carrier layer and forcing the glass beads into the carrier layer and against the paper substrate while allowing portions of the beads to be exposed above the carrier layer. A liquid binder layer of acrylic plastic is disposed around the beads and over the carrier layer while leaving portions of the beads exposed and is dried to retain the beads in position. Thereafter a liquid reflective coat of acrylic plastic is applied over the binder layer and covering the beads to provide a reflective background for reflecting light back through the beads. While the reflective coat is liquid and before being dried, a powdered adhesive is disposed over the reflective coat and thereafter the reflective coat is dried. The transfer is applied to an article, such as an article of clothing, by placing the reflective coat with the powdered adhesive therein against the article and applying heat and pressure to the paper substrate whereby the tacky carrier layer melts and is absorbed into the paper substrate while at the same time the powdered adhesive melts and bonds to the article whereby the beads are exposed upon removal of the paper substrate with the carrier layer absorbed thereinto.

This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 198,926 filed Oct.20, 1980, now abandoned, which in turn is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No.60,466, filed July 25, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,500.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The subject invention relates to reflective sheeting of the typeincluding a light-returning layer of small reflective particles and,specifically, small glass beads or spheres partially embedded in abonding or binder layer with light-reflecting means located behind thebeads. Such sheets have the property of reflecting back a brilliant coneof light toward the source of an angularly incident ray and have beencalled reflex reflectors. Such reflectors are to be distinguished fromspecular reflectors such as mirrors which do not reflect or return lightin the direction of incidence when light is striking the mirror surfaceat an angle other than 90°.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

There are numerous reflective heat transfer combinations known in theprior art. Nearly all include reflective particles such as glass beadsembedded within a binder layer with a reflecting means disposed as apart of or behind the binder layer. There are numerous knowncombinations of adhesives for applying the transfer to an article suchas a fabric. There are also various protective layers disposed over thebeads and removable upon the transfer being applied to an article.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention provides an improved heat transfer having higherreflective capacities than known heat transfers and which may be appliedor transferred to articles of a wider range of different materials.

The first feature of the invention is to provide a reflective heattransfer by applying a carrier layer, which is responsive to heat formelting, over an absorbent substrate in a predetermined pattern so thatthe carrier layer will be melted in response to heat and absorbed intothe substrate and embedding a layer of reflective particles into thecarrier layer and applying a liquid coating around the particles andover the carrier layer and drying the coating to bind the particles inposition.

Another feature is the applying of a powdered adhesive, which isresponsive to heat for melting and bonding, over the coating beforedrying the coating whereby the coating may be placed against an articleto which the transfer is to be bonded and heat applied to melt thepowdered adhesive to bond the transfer to the article.

PRIOR ART STATEMENT

U.S. Pat. No. 3,172,942, granted Mar. 9, 1965, to H. A. Berg discloses atransfer including transparent beads partially embedded in a pigmentedbinder layer with a heat barrier film disposed over the binder layer andan adhesive layer over the heat barrier film, the adhesive layer beingpressed or forced into an article to which the transfer is to beapplied. Before the transfer is applied, there is included a removableliner or sheet covering the adhesive layer to protect it fromcontamination prior to application of the transfer. In addition, thereis a carrier sheet having a carrier coating thereon surrounding theglass beads and engaging the binder layer but which is strippable byforce from the glass beads. The subject invention represents animprovement in that the adhesive need not be protected by a speciallayer and is much more effective for bonding to various differentmaterials and the protective carrier layer surrounding the beads iscompletely absorbed by the absorbent substrate in response to heatduring the transfer as the adhesive is melted and bonds to the articlethereby overcoming the necessity of any removal force being applied tothe beads or the bead binder layer.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,715 to J. C. Tatum, granted June 5, 1951, disclosesthe manner in which the beads disclosed herein reflect and a combinationwherein the glass beads are disposed in a binder coating which is backedby a reflector coating which is, in turn, disposed on a backside coatingprotected by a removable carrier sheet. Again, however, the combinationof the Tatum patent does not provide the advantages set forth above inregard to the subject invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated asthe same becomes better understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a reflective heat transfer combination made in accordancewith the subject invention and applied to an article;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a reflective heattransfer made in accordance with the subject invention before beingapplied to an article;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a reflective heat transfercombination shown as being applied to an article;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side-elevational view showing the first step inmaking the heat transfer combination by applying the carrier layer to anabsorbent substrate;

FIG. 5 shows the step of making the transfer wherein the reflectiveparticles are embedded within the carrier layer;

FIG. 6 illustrates the application of the binder layer around thereflective particles and over the carrier layer;

FIG. 7 illustrates the application of the reflective coating over thebinder layer; and

FIG. 8 illustrates the application of the powdered adhesive to thereflective layer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a reflective heat transfer combination made in accordancewith the subject invention applied to an article 10 such as fabricmaking up an article of clothing. The reflective heat transfer portionis defined by the letters S-L-O-W and the surrounding triangular border.

The reflective heat transfer combination is shown in cross section inthe configuration before being applied to an article in FIG. 2. The heattransfer includes an absorbent substrate 12. The absorbent substrate 12is a fibrous material and, specifically, paper. A particle carrier orcarrier layer 14 is disposed in a predetermined pattern over thesubstrate 12. The carrier layer 14 comprises a mixture of tack wax and asolvent, i.e., mineral spirits and preferably oleum. The carrier layer14 is responsive to heat for melting and being absorbed by the papersubstrate 12 when the transfer is being applied to an article.

A layer, i.e., monolayer, of reflective particles comprising sphericalglass beads 16 are partially disposed or embedded in the carrier layer14. The beads 16 are in engagement with the paper substrate 12 and haveportions exposed above the carrier layer 14.

A coating is disposed around the beads 16 and engages the carrier layer14. Specifically, the coating includes a binder or binder layer 18surrounding the beads 16 and a reflector or reflective coat 20 disposedover the binder layer 18.

There is also included a powdered adhesive 22 embedded in the reflectivecoat 20. The powdered adhesive comprises small particles of powderembedded into the surface of the reflective coat 20 and which particlesof adhesive are responsive to heat and pressure for adhesively securingthe transfer to an article 10. The powdered adhesive is a thermalsetting plastic and preferably consists of a polyester.

The transfer is applied to an article 10 by placing the reflective coat20 of the coating with the powdered adhesive 22 therein against thearticle 10 and applying heat and pressure to the paper substrate 12 toactivate the powdered adhesive 22 whereby the adhesive responds to heatand bonds to the article and the carrier layer 14 is melted and absorbedinto the paper substrate 12 for exposing the glass bead 16 upon removalof the paper substrate 12 and the absorbed carrier 14 as bestillustrated in FIG. 3.

The method of making the reflective heat transfer combination is bestshown in FIGS. 4 through 8.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the heat transfer is made by applying acarrier layer 14, which is responsive to heat for melting, over anabsorbent substrate 12 in a predetermined pattern so that the carrierlayer 14 may be melted in response to heat and absorbed into thesubstrate 12. Specifically, a tacky mixture to tack wax and mineralspirits define the carrier layer 14 and the substrate 12 is a fibrousmaterial or paper capable of absorbing the carrier layer 14 when meltedin response to heat. The carrier layer 14 is made by melting tack wax ata medium heat so it turns into a clear liquid and then adding thesolvent which is preferably oleum with the proportion beingapproximately seven parts tack wax to four parts oleum. The mixturedefining the carrier layer 14 is applied to the paper substrate 12 by asilk screen process to define a predetermined area as, for example, theletters defining the word "SLOW" and the triangular border of thetransfer illustrated in FIG. 1. The tacky mixture defining the carrierlayer 14 remains tacky until absorbed into the paper substrate 12 inresponse to heat.

The substrate 12 with the carrier layer 14 thereon is pulled through atrough of microscopic clear glass spheres or beads to apply a single ormonolayer of beads to the areas of the paper which have been printed orsilk screened with the tacky carrier layer 14. Thereafter the sheetpasses between two soft rubber rollers 24 and 26 whereby the beads 16are forced into the carrier layer 14 to engage the substrate 12. As theglass beads 16 are forced into the carrier layer 14 and against thesubstrate 12, portions of the beads 16 remain exposed above the carrierlayer 14. Anywhere from one-half to two-thirds of the glass beads may beleft exposed above the carrier layer 14.

Next, and as illustrated in FIG. 6, a liquid binder layer 18 is appliedaround the beads and over the carrier layer 14. The binder layer isapplied with a silk screen process with its periphery being within theperiphery of the carrier layer 14 so that the binder layer 18 does notcontact the substrate 12. The binder layer 18 is preferably an acrylicplastic. The liquid binder layer 18 is then dried whereby the beads 16are locked in position and prevented from moving in the tacky carrierlayer 14. The binder layer 18 may nearly cover tops of the beads 16 ormay actually form a thin film over the tops of the beads 16.

Thereafter, a liquid reflective coat 20 is applied over the binder layer18 to cover tops of the beads 16 and be disposed over the binder layer18. This liquid reflective coat is applied to the binder layer 18 bysilk screen to cover designated areas over the binder layer 18.

The binder layer 18 may include a pigment to provide a color. Further,by the silk screen process one area of the carrier layer 14 may becovered with a binder layer of one color whereas the remaining ordifferent areas may be covered with a binder layer of different colors.The reflective coat then would preferably be white although thereflective coat may be of any material which would provide a lightreflection back through the beads. In other words, the binder layer maybe of different colors in different areas to provide different coloredareas or designs in the transfer. Thereafter the reflective coat orreflector (preferably a white pigment) is disposed over the binder forreflecting light back through the beads. Alternatively, the binder layer18 may be clear or transparent with merely the reflective color coatapplied thereover. It is also within the contemplation of the inventionthat the binder layer 18 would be clear with one or more differentcolors applied thereover in different areas to define different colorareas within a reflective coat or reflector (such as a white coat)disposed thereover for reflecting light back through the beads.

After the liquid reflective coat 20 has been silk screened in place overthe binder layer and while still a liquid, particles of powderedadhesive are applied over the reflective coat 20 to be absorbed orembedded in the surface thereof and, thereafter, the reflective coat 20is dried to solidify. The powdered adhesive 22 is a thermal settingplastic, e.g., a polyester and one which may be utilized is manufacturedby Eastman Kodak under the trademark "SA-250 HOT MELT ADHESIVE." Thepowdered adhesive is responsive to heat for melting and bonding and whenthe transfer is applied, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the powdered adhesivemelts and bonds to the article 10. It is important that there need be noprotective layer covering the adhesive coat 20 to protect the adhesiveas the adhesive responds only to heat and pressure for bonding while, atthe same time, the carrier layer 14 is absorbed into the paper substrate12 for exposing the beads 16 upon removal of the paper substrate 12 withthe carrier layer 14 absorbed thereinto.

The binder layer is made of an acrylic plastic with pigment addedthereto to provide the desired color. Additionally, in the preferredembodiment the reflective coat is the same acrylic plastic having awhite pigmentation added thereto for providing a reflective coat. Boththe binder layer and the reflective coat are compatible with the tackypetroleum based mixture defining the carrier layer 14.

The acrylic plastic forming the basis for the binder layer 18 and thereflective coat 20 is made by mixing approximately forty-seven percent(47%) of a material sold under the trademark "DURO-CRYL 490" withforty-seven percent (47%) of the material sold under the trademark"DURO-TRON 620" with one percent (1%) of a plasticizer and three percent(3%) of a dry retarder and one percent (1%) of a thickening agent andone percent (1%) of a cross-linker and thereafter adding one ounce pergallon of ammonium hydroxide. All of these materials are mixed togetherexcept the thickening agent and then one (1) ounce per gallon ofammonium hydroxide is added or until an approximate 7.6 pH is reached.These materials are mixed together and then one to three pounds ofpigment per gallon of mixture is added and mixed and thereafter the onepercent (1%) thickening agent is added to give the mixture the properviscosity for printing or silk-screening.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is tobe understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to bein the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A method of making areflective heat transfer combination comprising the steps of; applying atacky carrier layer, which is responsive to heat for melting, over anabsorbent substrate in a predetermined pattern so that the carrier layermay be melted in response to heat and absorbed into said substrate,embedding a layer of reflective particles into said tacky carrier layer,applying a liquid coating around said particles and over said carrierlayer, applying powdered adhesive, which is responsive to heat formelting and bonding, over the coating, drying the coating to bind theparticles in position and applying the heat transfer conbination to anarticle by placing the coating with the powdered adhesive thereinagainst the article and applying heat and pressure to the substrate toactivate the powdered adhesive whereby the adhesive responds to heat andbonds to the article and the carrier layer is melted and absorbed intothe substrated for exposing the particles upon removal of the substrateand the absorbed carrier layer.
 2. A method as set forth in claim 1wherein the applying of the carrier layer is further defined as applyinga mixture of tack wax and a solvent to a paper substrate.
 3. A method asset forth in claim 1 wherein applying said coating is further defined asapplying a coating of acrylic plastic.
 4. A method as set forth in claim1 wherein embedding the particles is further defined as embedding glassbeads into the carrier layer with portions of the beads exposed andextending above the carrier layer.
 5. A method as set forth in claim 4wherein applying said coating is further defined as applying a binderlayer around the beads and over the carrier layer while exposingportions of the glass beads and thereafter applying a reflective coatover the glass beads and over the binder layer whereby the reflectivecoat may reflect light back through the glass beads.